Extensible head-rest and control for double movement and two position types of chairs



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EXTENSIBLE HEADREST AND CONTROL FOR DOUBLE MOVEMENT AND TWO osmou TYPESOF CHAIRS Flled Sept 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'FICLZ.

y 7, 1964 P. s. FLETCHER 3,140,117

EXTENSIBLE HEAD-REST AND CONTROL FOR nousuz:

MOVEMENT AND TWO POSITION TYPES OF CHAIRS Flled Sept 11, 1952 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RETER 6. FLETCHER.

nrronwcxs y 7, 1964 P. s. FLETCHER 7 EXTENSIBLE HEAD-REST AND CONTROLFOR DOUBLE MOVEMENT AND TWO POSITION TYPES OF CHAIRS Filed Sept. 11,1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 2/ FIG. 5. 21/

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EXTENSIBLE HEADREST AND CONTROL F OR DOUBLE MOVEMENT AND TWO POSITIQNTYPES OF CHAIRS Filed Sept. 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR. P75Q s.FLET HER.

' im b United States Patent 3,140,117 EXTENSlBLE HEAD-REST AND CONTROLFOR DOUBLE MOVEMENT AND TWO POSITION TYPES OF CHAIRS Peter S. Fletcher,Delray Beach, Fla., assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. FiledSept. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 223,582 tCiaims. (Cl. 297-61) The presentinvention relates generally to an improved reclining chair, and inparticular to an improved head-rest and control arrangement for areclining chair wherein the head-rest is automatically displaced to anextended position relative to the back-rest in response to movement ofthe reclining chair in response to a first phase or portion of thereclining movement. This application is a continuation-in-part of mycopending United States Patent application Serial No. 777,656 filedDecember 2, 1958, and now abandoned.

It is generally known to construct a reclining chair comprising asupport and body-supporting means having a back-rest movably mounted onthe support such that the back-rest may be moved into various reclinedpositions under control of the chair occupant. It has been suggestedthat such reclining chairs incorporate a head-rest positioned adjacentthe upper end of the back-rest, and preferably stored within the outlineof the back-rest, such that the head-rest may be extended or elevatedrelative to the back-rest to provide a more comfortable and adequatesupport for the head of the user. With such extensible head-rest, theback-rest may be made somewhat shorter for esthetic reasons, but theuser may be comfortably accommodated when moving into various reclinedpositions by the additional support afforded by the extended head-rest.

Broadly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedactuating and control arrangement for elevating the head-rest of areclining chair relative to the back-rest as a function of the recliningmovement of the back-rest.

In my copending application Serial No. 601,885 filed August 3, 1956, andnow abandoned, and entitled Movable Reclining Chair With Back-Rest, Seatand Leg-Rest there is disclosed a number of embodiments of recliningchairs of the double-movement type which comprise a support, abody-supporting means including a back rest and seat adapted to bemounted on the support for reclining and inclining movementrespectively, and means movably mounting the body-supporting means onthe support for a first movement phase from an upright sitting positionto an intermediate, tilted sitting position during which there is noappreciable relative angular displacement between the back-rest and seatand for a second movement phase from the tilted position to variousreclining positions during which the back-rest is angularly displacedrelative to the seat. The intermediate, tilted sitting positionestablished at the end of the first motion phase is suitable fortelevision viewing, reading, knitting and the like. The variousreclining positions established during the second movement phasecomfortably accommodate the chair occupant in a somewhat stretched outattitude, appropriate for total or complete relexation. Further, in mycopending application Serial No. 747,748 filed July 10, 1958, now PatentNo. 2,940,509, and entitled Multiple Position Chair, there is discloseda reclining chair of the two-position type in which the body supportingmeans is in the form of a rigid seat and back-rest unit which is adaptedto be brought first to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and thento a fully tilted position. In the intermediate or tilted sittingposition, the body-supporting unit is disposed in an active attitudewith the users body being in a substantially upright position in whichthe eyes are ice directed forwardly such that the user may read, knit,view television and the like. In the fully tilted position thebody-supporting unit is disposed in an inactive position in which theusers body is accommodated in a somewhat more rearwardly tiltedposition, appropriate for total or complete relaxation.

I have found that it may be to advantage to incorporate a head-rest intosuch double-movement and two-position types of chairs such that a morecomfortable and adequate support is provided for the head of the chairoccupant. An important criteria is that the head-rest be extended to thehead-supporting position at least at the end of the first motion phaseof the reclining chair such that in a chair of the double-movement typethe head-rest is fully extended in the intermediate, tilted sittingposition and in the chair of the two-position type the head-rest is alsoextended in the corresponding tilted sitting position. A furtherimportant criteria is that the head-rest throughout the second phase ofthe chair movement, whether in the double movement type of chair whereinthe angle between the seat and back-rest increases incident to saidsecond motion phase, or in the two-position type of chair wherein theseat and back-rest are rigid with each other but are titled morerearwardly incident to said second motion phase.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to providean improved head-rest and control arrangement suitable for incorporationinto reclining chairs of the double-movement and two position types.Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention toprovide a head-rest and control arrangement for reclining chairs of thedouble-movement or two-position types wherein the head-rest is moved toan extended head-supporting position during a first phase or portion ofthe chair movement and remains substantially stationary and in theextended head-supporting position throughout the second phase of thechair movement such that an adequate head support is provided for thechair occupant in the various useful positions of the chair.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstating features andadvantages of the present invention there is provided a reclining chairwhich comprises a support, body-supporting means including a seat andbackrest movably mounted on the support, coordinating means operativelyconnected to the body-supporting means and mounting said body-supportingmeans for movement through a first motion phase during which the seatand back-rest move to an intermediate, tilted sitting position andthrough a second motion phase during which the seat and back-rest moveinto various reclining positions, a head-rest, means operativelyconnected to and mounting the head-rest for movement to an extendedhead-supporting position relative to the back-rest, and actuating meanscooperatively connected to the head-rest and support and operable undercontrol of the body-supporting means for moving the head-rest to theextended head-supporting position in response to the first motion phaseof the reclining chair.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of an illustrativeembodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the presentinvention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, ofa typical reclining chair of the double movement type incorporating myimproved head-rest control, the chair being shown in the upright sittingposition;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing thereclining chair in the intermediate, tilted sitting position, with thehead rest displaced to the extended head-supporting position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing thereclining chair in a fully reclined position, with the head restremaining in the extended headsupporting position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantiallyalong the line 44 of FIG. 3 and 1o0king in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and shown insection, of a reclining chair of the multipleposition type incorporatingthe head-rest control of the present invention, the chair being shown inits upright sitting position;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 5 showing the chairthereof in its intermediate, tilting sitting portion, with the head-restin extended, head-supporting position; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 5, but showing the chairthereof in fully tilted position with the head-rest remaining inextended, head-supporting position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, and in particular to theembodiment shown in FIGS. 14, there is shown a reclining chair 10 of thedouble-movement type which is of generally known construction andincorporates my improved head-rest and control. Briefly, the recliningchair 10 comprises a support or chair frame including opposite sidewalls 12, 14 joined together by a number of cross braces 16a, 16b, 16cand 16d. A body-supporting means including a seat 18 and a backrest 20is movably supported on the chair frame, with the back-rest 20 beingpivoted on the chair frame by a rear guiding link 22 having a pivotalmount 24 on the support and a pivotal connection 26 to lower end of theback-rest 20. The seat 18 normally rests on the cross brace 16c servingas a stop and is mounted for inclining movement as a function of thereclining movement of the back-rest 20 at a seat pivot 28 on theforwardly extending rigid hanger 29 fixed to the back-rest 20. Below theforward end of the seat 18 is a leg-rest 30 which is mounted formovement from a stored position below the forward end of the seat, asshown in FIG. 1, to elevated positions as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.Interconnected between the back-rest 20, the seat 18 and the leg-rest 30is a main controlling and coordinating linkage for inclining the seat 18and for elevating the leg-rest 30 during the first and second phases ofthe reclining movement of the chair. Specifically, during the firstphase of the chair movement, the seat 18 is inclined such that theangular relationship between the seat 18 and the back-rest 20 remainssubstantially unchanged, with the leg-rest 30 being elevated such thatthe chair components move into an intermediate, tilted sitting position,suitable for viewing television, reading and the like (see FIG. 2).During the second phase of the chair movement, the seat 18 is inclinedsuch that the angular relationship between the seat and back-restincreases (that is, the included angle between the seat and back-restopens up), with the leg-rest 30 remaining elevated, such that a fullyreclined position is established suitable for complete relaxation (seeFIG. 3). The main controlling and coordinating linkage is seen toinclude a carrier link 32 which is disposed in a forwardly inclinedstarting position resting against the cross brace 16b serving as a stopand having a pivotal mount 34 at its lower end on the chair frame orsupport. Pivotally mounted on the carrier link 32 is a double-arm lever36 which is adapted to turn about a pivot 38 on the upper and forwardend of the carrier link 32. The double-arm lever 36 has an upwardly andforwardly inclined arm 36a which has a pivotal connection 40 at itsupper end to the seat 18, which arm serves as a seat control link duringthe first phase of the chair movement. The

rear end of the seat is supported by cross brace 160. As may beappreciated by inspecting FIGS. 1 and 2, pivotal movement of the arm 36aabout the pivot 38, with the carrier link 32 remaining stationary andthe rear end of the seat resting on cross brace 16c, causes a prescribedinclination to be imparted to the seat 18 as a function of the tiltingmovement of the back-rest 20 until such time as the arm 36a. abuts thestop 32a provided on the adjacent end of the carrier link 32. During thefirst phase of the chair movement, the main controlling and coordinatinglinkage is in the form of a five bar linkage acting as a four barlinkage, which includes as the stationary link thereof the portion ofthe support intermediate the pivotal mount 24 and the pivot 38, the arm36a serving as a seat control link, the portion of the seat andback-rest intermediate the pivots 40, 26 (which may be considered as onemovable link for the sake of convenience and by virtue of the supportingfunction of cross brace 16c), and the link 22. The other arm 36b of thedouble-arm lever 36 serves as a driving or connecting link to thelegrest suspending linkage which is seen to include a hanger arm 42having a pivotal connection 44 at its upper end to the seat 18. Theleg-rest suspending linkage is swingable through a forward are undercontrol of a connecting link 46 which has a pivotal connection 48 at itsrearward end to the arm 36b and a pivotal connection 50 at its forwardend to the hanger arm 42 at a point spaced below the pivotal mount 44 onthe seat 18. The leg-rest suspending linkage is completed by a furtherhanger arm or link 52 which has a pivotal connection 54 at its upper endto the connecting link 46 at a point spaced rearwardly of the pivotalconnection 50, a connecting link 56 which has a pivotal connection 58 atits rearward end to the hanger link 52, a pivotal connection 60 at itsforward end to the leg-rest 30 adjacent the upper end thereof and apivotal connection 62 intermediate its end at a cross-over point to thehanger arm 42 at a point spaced behind the pivotal connection 50, and afurther connecting link 64 which has a pivotal connection 66 at itsrearward end to the lower end of the hanger arm 42 and a pivotalconnection 68 at its forward end to the leg-rest 30 at a point spacedfrom the pivotal connection 60. A stop 70 is affixed to the seat inposition to abut the hanger arm 42 in the intermediate, tilted sittingposition shown in FIG. 2 and a further stop 72 is aflixed to theleg-rest 30 for abutting the connecting link 64 in the intermediate,tilted sitting position.

The coordination of the chair components by the described linkage, whichis subject to a latitude of variation and change and is merelyillustrative of a typical doublemovement type of reclining chair, issubstantially as follow:

When the chair occupant leans against the back-rest 20, the back-rest 20is tilted as a function of the geometry of the linkage which isoperative during the first phase of movement, with the seat rearwardlydisplaced and being inclined relative to the support. The rearwarddisplacement of the seat 18 under control of the back-rest 20 causes thedouble arm lever 36 to turn about its pivotal mount 38 on the carrierlink 32, with the upwardly extending arm 36a serving the seat controlfunction and the downwardly extending arm 36b actuating the leg-restsuspending linkage. The double-arm lever 36 turns until such time as arm36a abuts the stop 32a on the carrier link 32 which establishes theintermediate or tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 2 whereinthe seat and backrest are in a rearwardly tilted sitting position, withthe leg-rest 30 elevated and projecting forwardly of the seat 18.Further, the rear guiding or control link 22 moves into relatively fixedposition against cross-brace 16d, serving as a stop. It is noted thatthe stops 16d, 32a, and the leg-rest stops 70, 72 are all positioned tobe effective at the same time to accurately establish the intermediate,

tilted sitting position. When the chair occupant further leans againstthe back-rest 20 to initiate the second phase of the chair movement, thebackrest turns about the pivot 26 at the upper end of the rear guidingor control link 22, which pivot then serves as the back-rest pivot andremains stationary throughout the second phase of the reclining movementdue to the blocking of the link 22. The blocked leg-rest suspendinglinkage maintains the legrest 30 substantially in the same elevatedleg-supporting position, while the seat 18 and the arm 36a of the doublearm lever 36 which is rigid therewith are guided by the carrier link 32,which turns about its pivotal mount 34 on the chair frame. The fullyreclined or completely relaxed position for the chair, illustrated inFIG. 3, is established when the carrier link 32 is blocked againstfurther movement by coming into contact with the forward end of thecross-brace 160 which serves as a stop for limiting movement of thecarrier link.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features ofthe invention, a head-rest 74 is disposed in a stored or retractedposition accommodated within the upper rear corner of the back-rest 20,as seen in FIG. 1. The head-rest 74 is mounted with its upper facesubstantially coplanar or flush with the upper face of the back-rest bya mounting linkage, which is seen to embody a primary mounting link 78having a pivotal connection 84 at its upper end to a connecting link 82which in turn has a pivotal connection 80 to a bracket 86 fixed to thehead-rest 74, and a secondary mounting link 88 having a pivotalconnection 90 at its upper end to one end of a connecting link 92 whichhas a pivotal connection 94 at its other end to the bracket 86 on thehead-rest 74. The connecting link 92 crosses over the primary mountinglink 78 and has a pivotal connection 96 thereto for coordinating thelinks 78, 82, 88 and 92 which provides a double-four bar extensiblemounting linkage for the head-rest 74. The mounting linkage extendssubstantially lengthwise of the backrest 20 and is engaged by a guidemeans which is operatively connected between one of the mounting linksand the back-rest 20 such that the head-rest 74 is constrained to movealong the prescribed path from the retracted or stored position,illustrated in FIG. 1, to the extended or head-supporting positionillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Preferably the guide means includes anelongated guide plate 98 having a guide slot 98a formed therein, whichguide plate is affixed to the adjacent side frame of the back-rest, witha pin 100 being carried by the primary mounting link 78 and beingguidingly engaged within the slot 98a. The pin and slot interconnectionis arranged such that the pin 100 is at the lowermost end of the slot98a to establish the stored position for the head-rest as illustrated inFIG. 1. The slot 98a extends substantially lengthwise and upwardly onthe back-rest 20 and is of such a length and contour that it guides thehead-rest 74 first upwardly to a clearance position relative to theupper end of the back-rest and then forwardly to the extended orhead-supporting position wherein the front surface of the head-rest 24is properly oriented relative to the back-rest 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3)for supporting the head of the chair occupant.

Operatively connected between the frame or support 12, 14, the back-rest20, and the mounting linkage is an actuating mechanism or linkage whichimparts a further restraint to the mounting linkage and is effective tomove the head-rest between the retracted and extended positions. Theactuating mechanism or linkage includes an actuating link 102 which isdisposed in a slightly forwardly inclined position and has a pivotalmount 104 on a bracket 106 fixed to the rear cross brace 16d of thechair frame. An actuating and guiding link 108 is operatively connectedto the actuating link 102 by a toggle linkage, with the actuating andguiding link 108 having respective pivotal connections 112, 114 adjacentone end thereof to the primary and secondary mounting links 78,

88 of the head-rest mounting linkage and a pivotal connection 116 at theother end thereof to the back-rest 20. The toggle linkage includes adriver plate 118 and a connecting link 120 having a pivotal connection122 to the driver plate. The driver plate or link of the toggle linkagehas a pivotal mount 124 on the back-rest 20 and a pivotal connection 126intermediate its ends to the actuating link 102, with the connectinglink 120 having a pivotal connection 128 to the actuating and guidinglink 108 intermediate its ends. The portion of the driver plate 118intermediate the pivotal mount 124 and the pivotal connection 122constitutes the driver of the toggle linkage which is constrained tomove in a rotary path about the pivotal mount 124 and exerts an axialforce on the connecting link 120 which is coupled to the actuating andguiding link 108. The rotary motion of the driver intermediate thepivots 124, 122 is such that the effective lever arm (which is theperpendicular distance from the line of action of the connecting link120 to the center of rotation 124 of the driver) is less when the driveris in its final position (see FIG. 2) than in its initial position (seeFIG. 1). The axial force produced in the connecting link 120 istransmitted to the head-rest 74 via the mounting linkage, with thetoggle effect occuring between the upright sitting position illustratedin FIG. 1 and a tilted position in advance of the intermediate, tiltedsitting position illustrated in FIG. 2.

By employing this toggle efifect in the illustrative doublemovement typeof chair, the head-rest 74 is brought to the extended head-supportingposition relative to the backrest 20 during the first portion of thefirst phase of the chair movement and in advance of the arrival of thechair at the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG.2. This may be appreciated by noting the relative position of the togglelinks and the pivots 124, 122, 128 in the intermediate, tilted sittingposition of FIG. 2 wherein the toggle links are somewhat past thedead-center position, with the intermediate or knee pivot 122 havingmoved through the dead center position relative to the pivots 124, 128.This is indicative of the fact that the toggle action began to accur atsome time prior to the arrival of the chair at the intermediate, tiltedsitting position, for the chair occupant.

The head-rest and control arrangement is such that the head-rest remainsin a substantially stationary extended head-supporting position relativeto the back-rest during the second phase of the chair movement, as maybe appreciated by progressively comparing FIGS. 2 and 3. This isachieved by mounting the actuating link 102 with the pivotal mount 104located such that the pivotal connection 26 of the rear guiding link 22to the back-rest (when the rear guiding link 22 is in the relativelystationary position which it assumes at the end of the first phase ofthe chair movement) is coaxial with the pivotal mount, it being recalledthat the pivot 26 serves as a substantially stationary back-rest pivotduring the second phase of the chair movement. As seen best in FIG. 4,the pivotal connection 26 to the adjacent side of the back-rest 20 movesinto a position coaxially and outwardly of the pivotal mount 104 for theactuating link 102 at the end of the first phase of the chair movement.Analysis of the headrest and control arrangement for this general typeof double movement chair indicates that the actuating of the head-restis produced by the relative motion between the back-rest pivot (e.g.pivot 26) and the pivotal mount (cg. 104) of the head-rest controllinkage on the chair frame or support. Since there is no relativemovement of these pivots during the second phase of the chair movementin that the pivot 26 moves into a coaxial position relative to thepivotal mount 104, the head-rest 74 remains substantially stationaryrelative to the back-rest during the second phase of the chair movement.

In actual use as the chair occupant leans against the back-rest toinitiate the first phase of the reclining movement, the seat andback-rest are respectively guided to maintain the required angularrelationship between the seat and back-rest during the first phase ofthe chair movement, with the back-rest pivot 26 for the second motionphase moving relative to the pivot 104 of the head-rest 74, with theactuating link 102 turning in the clockwise direction about the pivotalmount 104 in the support and with the link 108 turning in thecounterclockwise direction about the pivotal mount 116 on the back-rest20. The toggle linkage is operated such that the effective lever arm ofthe driver is less in the intermediate, tilted sitting position of FIG.2, with the knee pivot 122 moving through and past a dead centerposition relative to the pivots 124, 128. The actuating links 102, 108and the toggle linkage achieve the extension of the head-rest mountinglinkage, with the head-rest 74 moving upwardly relative to the back-restand then forwardly to the extended position illustrated in FIG. 2.During the second phase of the chair movement, the head-rest controlreceives no actuating force and the head-rest 74 remains substantiallystationary and in the required head-supporting position until such timeas the chair is returned to the intermediate, tilted sitting position.At such time, and in response to a downward pressure on the leg-rest 30and a corresponding return of the chair to the upright sitting position,the head-rest is again retracted to the stored position illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIGS. -7 illustrate a reclining chair 210 of the twoposition type (thatis, having a rigidly connected seat and back-rest), which alsoincorporates the improved headrest and control of the present invention.

The reclining chair 210 comprises a support or chair frame includingopposite side walls 212 and 214 joined together by cross braces 216a,2161) and 2160. A bodysupporting unit 217 including a rigidly-formedseat 218 and back-rest 220 is movably mounted on the chair frame by apair of spaced guiding links 221 and 223 mounted on a support bar 225which in turn is pivotally mounted at its rear end on the chair frame bya pivot 226. The rear guiding link 221 is mounted on the bottom of seat218 by a pivot 227 and is connected intermediate its ends to the supportbar 225 by a pivot 229. The front guiding link 223 is mounted on thebottom of the seat by a pivot 231 located forwardly of the pivot 227.The lower end of the link 223 is connected to the support bar 225 by apivot 233.

The chair also includes a leg-rest 230 which is mounted for movementfrom a stored positon beneath the forward end of the seat 218, as shownin FIG. 5, to the elevated positions shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Theleg-rest 230 is supported by the leg-rest linkage 235 which is carriedby the forward end of the support bar 225. The leg-rest linkage 235includes a pair of links 256 and 264 which are connected at spacedpoints to the leg-rest 230 by respective pivots 260 and 268. At itsopposite end the link 264 is connected to the end of a link 242 by apivot 266, and at its opposite end the link 256 is connected to a link252 by a pivot 258. The support bar 225 extends forwardly from the pivot226, and to this forwardly-extending portion the links 242 and 252 areconnected at spaced points by respeotive pivots 244 and 254.

The rear guiding link 221 extends downwardly below the pivot 229 and atits free end is connected to a controlling link 237 by a pivot 239. Theopposite end of the controlling link 237 is connected to an intermediateportion of the link 252 by a pivot 241. The links 242 and 256 cross eachother and are connected at their crossing over point by a pivot 262.

As shown in FIG. 5, the support bar 225 is normally maintained in ahorizontal position and rests upon the cross bar 216b at a point to therear of the pivot 233. To bring the body-supporting unit 217 from itsupright sitting position of FIG. 5 to the intermediate, tilted sittingposition of FIG. 6, the user shifts his weight rearwardly and appliesrearward pressure to the back-rest 220. This causes the body-supportingunit 217 to move rearwardly, the guiding links 221 and 223 pivotingrearwardly on the stationary support bar 225 for this purpose. Theguiding links carry the body-supporting unit 217 in a compound rearwardmovement in which the forward end of the seat 218 is guided in asubstantially horizontal rearward path by the front guiding link 223 andthe rear end of the seat is guided in a rearward and downward ,path bythe rear guiding link 221. In the intermediate, tilted sitting position,the front guiding link 223 engages a stop member 243 which is rigidlyfixed to the support bar 225, the stop member 243 preventing furtherpivoting movement of the front guiding link 223 and defining the limitof the intermediate, tilted sitting position.

As the upper portion of the rear guiding link 221 pivots rearwardlyabout pivot 229 in moving toward the intermediate position, the lowerportion of said link 221 pivots forwardly, moving the controlling link237 forwardly and causing said controlling link to raise the leg-restlinkage 235 until the leg-rest 230 has reached its extended position ofFIG. 6.

If the occupant in the intermediate, tilted sitting position of thechair now wishes to move to a fully reclined position, he appliesfurther rearward pressure upon the backrest 220. However, the frontguiding link 223 is now locked from further pivoting movement on the support bar 225 by engagement with the stop 243, and the body-supportingunit 217 is thus prevented from moving rearwardly relative to saidsupport bar 225. The bodysupporting unit 217 is thus now required topivot about the single pivot point 226. Thus, the body-supporting unit217 maintains a fixed relationship to the support bar 225 and the entireunit and linkage structure pivots as a unit about the pivot 226. Sincethe rear guiding link 221 maintains its inclined position relative tothe support bar 225, the leg-rest linkage is maintained in its extendedposition and the leg-rest continues to be positioned at a pointforwardly and at the level of the front of the seat.

In accordance with the invention herein, a headrest 274 is disposed in astored or retracted position within the upper rear corner of theback-rest 220, as shown in FIG. 5, with its upper face substantiallyflush with the upper surface of the back-rest. The head-rest 274 ismounted by a mounting linkage similar to that illustrated in connectionwith the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, and including a primary link 278connected at its upper end by pivot 284 to a connecting link 282 whichin turn has a pivotal connection 280 to a bracket 286 fixed to thehead-rest 274, and a secondary mounting link 288 connected at its upperend by pivot 290 to one end of a connecting link 292 which has a pivotalconnection 294 at its other end to the bracket 286. The connecting link292 crosses over the primary mounting link 278 and has a pivotalconnection 296 thereto, providing an extensible mounting linkage for thehead-rest 274 consisting of links 27 8, 282, 288 and 292.

The mounting linkage for the head-rest 274 is engaged by a guide meansin the form of an elongated guide plate 298 formed with a guide slot298a aifixed to the backrest 220, with a pin 300 carried by the primarymounting link 278 and extending into the slot 298a.

The head-rest mounting linkage is operated by an actuating mechanism orlinkage which includes an actuating and guiding link 308 which ispivotally connected by pivots 312, 314 to the respective primary andsecondary mounting links 278, 288 and is connected by pivot 316 to theback-rest 220. The actuating mechanism also includes an actuating link320 which has a pivotal mount 226 concentric with the pivotal mount ofthe support bar 225 and is connected to the guiding link 308 by pivot328.

When the chair 210 is brought to its intermediate, tilted sittingposition of FIG. 6, the rear portion of the bodysupporting unit 217 ismoved rearwardly and downwardly in the compound movement previouslydescribed, as determined by the guiding links 221 and 223. This movementcarries the link 308 downwardly relative to the actuating link 320 whichis mounted on the fixed pivot 226.

without a corresponding use of other features.

The actuating link 320 turns rearwardly about pivot 226 to accommodatethe rearward movement of link 308, but opposes the downward movementthereof at point 328 and in eifect pushes upwardly on the link 308 atthis point. This causes the link 308 to turn upward or in acounter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. and 6, about its pivotalmount 316 on the back-rest 220. The upward movement of link 308 bringsthe head-rest to the extended head-supporting position relative to thebackrest 220 in the intermediate position of the body-support ing unit217 shown in FIG. 6, through the extensible head-rest mounting linkage278, 282, 288 and 292.

The head-rest 274 remains in a substantially stationary extendedhead-supporting position relative to the back-rest during the secondphase of reclining movement, as shown in FIG. 7. This is achieved bymounting the actuating link 320 concentrically with the support bar 225at fixed pivot 226. Since the fixed pivot 226 serves as a stationarypivot for the support bar 225 and the body-supporting unit 217 carriedthereby, during the second motion phase, as well as the pivot for theactuating link 320 and the connected head-rest linkage mounted on theback-rest 220, it will be appreciated that the actuating link 320 willexert no further turning force on the link 308. That is to say, the link308 carried by the back-rest 220, and the actuating link 320 both turnabout the same point defined by the common pivot 226 as thebody-supporting unit moves from the intermediate position of FIG. 6 tothe fully tilted position of FIG. 7. During this second motion phase.therefore, the head-rest 274 remains stationary in its extended positionrelative to the back-rest 220 without further actuation and merelyfollows the rearward and downward movement of the back-rest as a rigidextension thereof.

Although the head-rest actuating and mounting linkage of the inventionhas been shown, by way of example, incorporated in representative chairsof the double-movement and multiple-position types, it will beappreciated that the invention is intended and devised to beincorporated in any double-movement or multiple-position chair havingtwo distinct paths of movement, the second of which constitutes apivotal movement of the back-rest around a relatively stationary point.The invention can thus be applied to many different chair structures ofthis type, for example, those disclosed in the issued patents andpending applications of applicant.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed Accordingly it is appropriate that theappended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with thespirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

1. In a reclining chair of the type comprising a support,body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted to bemovably mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movementrespectively, and coordinating means operatively connected to saidbody-supporting means and to said support and mounting saidbodysupporting means for movement through a first motion phase into anintermediate reclining position and through a second motion phase into afurther reclining position, said coordinating means including firstguiding means for guiding the back-rest in a first path of motion in thefirst motion phase, second guiding means providing a stationary pivotalmount for the back-rest in the second motion phase for movement of theback-rest in a second, difierent path of motion, and means for blockingmovement of said first guiding means at the end of said first motionphase such that further movement of said back-rest in said second motionphase is about said stationary pivotal mount; the improvement comprisinga head-rest, means operatively connected to and mounting said head-restfor movement to an extended head-supporting position relative to saidback-rest, and actuating means operatively connected to said head-restmounting means and having a stationary pivotal connection to saidsupport and operable in response to movement of said back-rest relativeto said stationary pivotal connection during the first motion phase formoving said head-rest to said extended head-supporting position, saidstationary pivotal connection being posi tioned in coaxial alignmentwith said stationary pivotal mount of the back-rest when the latterserves as said back-rest pivot during said second motion phase, wherebysaid back-rest, said guiding means, said head-rest and said actuatingmeans turn about a common center of rotation during the second motionphase without further actuation of said head-rest.

2. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting meansincluding a seat and a back-rest mounted on said support, a head-rest,means mounting the head-rest on said back-rest for movement between aretracted and extended position, actuating means for said head-resthaving a fixed pivotal mount on said support and operatively connectedto said head-rest mounting means, first guide means guiding saidback-rest and the head-rest and head-rest mounting means carried therebyin a first path of movement relative to the fixed pivotal mount of saidhead-rest actuating means in a first motion phase, whereby the actuatingmeans moves the head-rest to its extended position, blocking means forhalting movement of said back-rest at the end of said first motion phasewith the body-supporting means in an intermediate reclining position andthe head-rest in extended position, and second guide means providing astationary pivotal center for said back-rest in a second motion phase,said stationary pivotal center being coaxial with said fixed pivotalmount of the head-rest actuating means, the body-supporting means movingto a fully reclined position in said second motion phase with theback-rest, head-rest, head-rest mounting means and head-rest actuatingmeans all turning in unison about the coaxial stationary pivotal centerand fixed pivotal mount, and the head-rest thus remaining in saidextended position relative to the back-rest as the latter moves to afurther reclining position.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unitincluding a rigidly-formed seat and a backrest mounted on said support,a head-rest, a linkage mounting the head-rest on said back-rest formovement between retracted and extended positions, an actuating link forsaid head-rest having a fixed pivotal mount on said support andoperatively connected to said head-rest mounting linkage, a support barhaving a stationary pivotal mount on the support, means holding saidsupport bar in a stationary position, guiding means mounting the bodysupporting unit on said support bar for movement in a downward andrearward path toward the fixed pivotal mount of said head-rest actuatinglink in a first motion phase, whereby the actuating link moves thehead-rest to its extended position, blocking means for halting movementof said guide means at the end of said first motion phase with thebody-supporting unit in an intermediate, tilted sitting position and thehead-rest in extended position, said support bar turning about itsstationary pivotal mount in a second motion phase to carry thebody-supporting unit and the head-rest and mounting linkage carriedthereby in a pivotal movement about said stationary pivotal mount, saidfixed pivotal mount of the actuating link being coaxial with saidstationary pivotal mount of the support bar, whereby the body-supportingunit moves to a fully reclined position in said second motion phase withthe head-rest remaining in said extended position relative to theback-rest.

4. A reclining chair according to claim 3 in which said guiding meanscomprises a pair of links mounted at spaced points on said support barand pivotally connected to spaced points on said body-supporting unit.

5. In a reclining chair of the type comprising a support,body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted to bemovably mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movementrespectively, and coordinating means operatively connected to saidbody-supporting means and to said support and mounting saidbodysupporting means for movement through a first motion phase into anintermediate reclining position and through a second motion phase into afurther reclining position, said coordinating means including a movablepivotal connection to said back-rest, means mounting said pivotalconnection for movement relative to said support during said firstmotion phase, and means for blocking movement of said pivotal connectionduring said second motion phase and providing a stationary back-restpivot about which said back-rest is reclined during said second motionphase, the improvement comprising a head-rest, guiding means operativelyconnected to and mounting said headrest for movement from a retractedposition to an extended head-supporting position relative to saidbackrest, and actuating means operatively connected to said head-restand having a fixed pivotal mount on said support and operable inresponse to movement of said movable pivotal connection relative to saidfixed pivotal mount for moving said l1ead-rest to said extendedheadsupporting position in response to said first motion phase, saidmovable pivotal connection being positioned to move into coaxialalignment with said fixed pivotal mount when the latter serves as saidback-rest pivot during said second motion phase, whereby said back-rest,said guiding means, said head-rest and said actuating means turn about acommon center of rotation during the second motion phase without furtheractuation of said head-rest.

6. A reclining chair of the double movement type comprising a support,body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted to bemovably mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movementrespectively, coordinating means operatively connected to saidbody-supporting means and to said support and mounting saidbody-supporting means for movement through a first motion phase into anintermediate, tilted sitting position during which there issubstantially no angular displacement between said seat and back-restand through a second motion phase into a full reclining position duringwhich the angle between said seat and back-rest increases, saidcoordinating means including a movable pivotal connection to saidback-rest, means mounting said pivotal connection for movement relativeto said support during said first motion phase, and means for blockingmovement of said pivotal connection during said second motion phase suchthat said pivotal connection serves as a stationary back-rest pivotabout which said back-rest is reclined during said second motion phase,a head-rest, means operatively connected to and mounting said head-restfor movement from a retracted position to an extended headsupportingposition relative to said back-rest, and actuating means operativelyconnected to said head-rest and having a fixed pivotal mount on saidsupport and operable in response to movement of said movable pivotalconnection relative to said fixed pivotal mount for moving saidhead-rest to said extended head-supporting position in response to saidfirst motion phase, said pivotal connection being positioned to becoaxial with said movable pivotal connection when the latter is blockedfrom movement and serves as said stationary back-rest pivot during saidsecond motion phase, whereby said back-rest, said guiding means, saidhead-rest and said actuating means turn about a common center ofrotation during the second motion phase without further actuation ofsaid head-rest.

7. In a reclining chair of the double movement type, a support,body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest, a main controllinkage operatively connected to said body-supporting means forestablishing a first motion phase wherein said body-supporting meansmoves rearwardly with substantially no angular change between said seatand back-rest and a second motion phase wherein said body-supportingmeans moves rearwardly with an increasing angular change between saidseat and backrest, said main control linkage including at least onepivotal connection to said back-rest movable relative to said supportduring said first motion phase and substantially stationary during saidsecond motion phase, the improvement comprising a head-rest normallydisposed in a stored position within the outline of said back-rest andcontiguous to the upper end thereof, and control means operativelyconnected to said head-rest for moving said head-rest to an extendedposition relative to the upper end of said back-rest in response torearward movement of said body-supporting means during said first motionphase, said control means including guiding means operatively connectedto said head-rest and mounting said head-rest for movement along aprescribed path relating to said back-rest into said extended position,and actuating means operatively connected to said guiding means and tosaid support and controlled by said back-rest for moving said head-restinto said extended position in response to said reclining movement, saidactuating means including at least one actuating link pivotally mountedon said support at a fixed pivot spaced from said one pivotal connectionof said back-rest such that during said first motion phase the relativemovement between said one pivotal connection and said fixed pivot iseffective to actuate said head-rest, said actuating means including at afurther pair of links pivotally connected together and arranged toprovide a toggle action during said first motion phase.

8. In a chair having a seat and back-rest mounted on a support formovement to an intermediate position and further movement to afully-reclined position, a head-rest, and guiding means mounting thehead-rest on the backrest for movement between a retracted position andan extended position; the combination of back-rest mounting meansproviding a movable pivotal mount for the backrest on the support andhead-rest actuating means connecting the head-rest guiding means to thesupport at a fixed pivot, said movable pivot moving toward said fixedpivot when the back-rest is moved to the intermediate position, andblocking means engaging said back-rest mounting means at saidintermediate position and positioned to retard further movement of saidback-rest movable pivotal mount when the latter has moved into coaxialalignment with said fixed fixed pivot, whereby said back-rest and saidhead-rest actuating means turn about the same fixed center of rotationwithout further actuation of the head-rest as the back-rest moves fromsaid intermediate position to said fully-reclined position.

9. A chair according to claim 8 in which said head-rest actuating meanscomprises an actuating link pivotally mounted on said support frame atsaid fixed pivot and pivotally connected to said head-rest guidingmeans.

10. A chair according to claim 9 in which said backrest mounting meanscomprises a guiding link pivotally mounted on the support frame andconnected to the backrest at said movable pivotal mount, said guidinglink moving rearwardly to carry the back-rest to the intermediateposition and engaging said blocking means at the intermediate positionwith the movable pivotal mount located in co-axial alignment with thefixed pivotal mount of the actuating link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,884,992 Spound et al. May 5, 1959 2,940,509 Fletcher June 14, 19603,033,610 Fletcher May 8, 1962 3,074,758 Schliephacke Jan. 22, 19633,086,815 Fletcher Apr. 23, 1963

8. IN A CHAIR HAVING A SEAT AND BACK-REST MOUNTED ON A SUPPORT FORMOVEMENT TO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION AND FURTHER MOVEMENT TO AFULLY-RECLINED POSITION, A HEAD-REST, AND GUIDING MEANS MOUNTING THEHEAD-REST ON THE BACKREST FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION ANDAN EXTENDED POSITION; THE COMBINATION OF BACK-REST MOUNTING MEANSPROVIDING A MOVABLE PIVOTAL MOUNT FOR THE BACKREST ON THE SUPPORT ANDHEAD-REST ACTUATING MEANS CONNECTING THE HEAD-REST GUIDING MEANS TO THESUPPORT AT A FIXED PIVOT, SAID MOVABLE PIVOT MOVING TOWARD SAID FIXEDPIVOT WHEN THE BACK-REST IS MOVED TO THE INTERMEDIATE POSITION, ANDBLOCKING MEANS ENGAGING SAID BACK-REST MOUNTING MEANS AT SAIDINTERMEDIATE POSITION AND POSITIONED TO RETARD FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SAIDBACK-REST MOVABLE PIVOTAL MOUNT WHEN THE LATTER HAS MOVED INTO COAXIALALIGNMENT WITH SAID FIXED FIXED PIVOT, WHEREBY SAID BACK-REST AND SAIDHEAD-REST ACTUATING MEANS TURN ABOUT THE SAME FIXED CENTER OF ROTATIONWITHOUT FURTHER ACTUATION OF THE HEAD-REST AS THE BACK-REST MOVES FROMSAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION TO SAID FULLY-RECLINED POSITION.